A presentation on the concept of my hyperlocal news website for Sunderland SR2, SR2Blog.com. Presented on December 17 2009.

1. SR2 BLOG will bring together like-minded engaged citizens whose concerns and
interests can be effectively expressed on a collaborative website.
The aim is for a social news site; users (meaning publishers and visitors)
contributing to a greater knowledge of Sunderland SR2, its residents,
events, businesses and prospects.
Josh halliday

2. i
What?
SR2 BLOG is a „hyperlocal‟ news website tightly focused
on Sunderland SR2 and contributed to by members of the SR2
i
residency.
Hyperlocal?
Hyperlocal refers to a burgeoning number of news
websites that cover a geographically smaller area than local,
regional, or national media.

3. iWhere?
Sunderland echo patch

4. i
Where?
Sr2 blog patch

5. Neighbourhoods:
i
Where?
• Ashbrooke
• Hendon
• Ryhope
• Grangetown
• Hillview
• Thornhill
Roughly a 4 miles square area of Sunderland.
Approximate population of Sunderland SR2: 30,000 - 35,000
Approximate population of Sunderland: 280,807
Population of Sunderland source: http://bit.ly/5k0NkV (2001 UK census)

6. i
“Fast-changing local news landscape”
- Sarah Hartley, Launch Editor, Guardian Local why?
(why now?)
A noticeable shift:
• ‘Some titles covering a wider area resulting in some
loss of localised content’;
• ‘Some titles disappearing altogether’;
• ‘Perception of a loss in news content - more advertising,
thinner papers’;
• ‘Prices of newspapers have risen despite some
reduction in content depth.’
Source: Ofcom Review of Local Media: Qualitative Findings (July 2009)
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/morr/reviewlocal.pdf [p.17]

7. i
“Fast-changing local news landscape”
- Sarah Hartley, Launch Editor, Guardian Local why?
(why now?)
Trinity Mirror launch network of
hyperlocal news sites.
Northcliffe launch network of
hyperlocal news sites.
Johnston Press launch network of
hyperlocal news sites.
Guardian launch project hiring
hyperlocal bloggers in UK cities.
Ofcom‟s June 2009 Digital Britain
report pushed idea of
Independently funded news
consortia (IFNC).

8. i
“Fast-changing local news landscape”
- Sarah Hartley, Launch Editor, Guardian Local why?
(why now?)
‘Focusing on the potential of the Web to serve geographic
communities should be the driver of future industry innovations and
industry-oriented research.[...]
‘With nearly limitless space constraints, the Web can offer
newspapers the opportunity to provide expansive coverage of
geographic areas without increased material and printing costs. This
geographic focus can be amplified with additional reporting, citizen-
produced news, formal or informal weblogs, and additional etools.’ [...]
‘The challenge to local newspapers in light of dwindling circulation
figures nationwide is to stay geographically relevant,’
Rachel Davis Mersey (2009) ‘Online News Users’ Sense of Community’: Journalism
Practice 3: 3

9. i
online centres in sunderland
why?
(why sr2?)
Source: Well-researched anecdote (!)

10. “ i
Who‟s looking to build what down my street?
Is burglary on the rise in Hendon? Why did
the church down our road close it‟s doors all
of a sudden? What happened with all those
who?
sirens whizzing past our house last night?
Typical visitor
Age: 30-60 53% sunderland echo
readership female
Household income: £25,000-£40,000
Aged 35-44
Socio-economic classification: C1C2D 65% C2de (working
(‘lower middle class’, ‘skilled class)
working class’ and ‘working class’)
Statistics compiled by JICREG,
taken from January - June 2009
13.4% of Hendon/sunderland: c1 (lower managerial)
36% of 16 -74 Hendon/sunderland: no qualifications
Statistics: 2001 UK Census
Socio-economic classification definitions source: www.nrs.co.uk/lifestyle.html

11. “ i
Who‟s looking to build what down my street?
Is burglary on the rise in Hendon? Why did
the church down our road close it‟s doors all
of a sudden? What happened with all those
who?
sirens whizzing past our house last night?
Typical contributor
Membership in local
Age: 35-50
organisations
Household income: £25,000-£40,000 Average age of person
using online ‘’community-
Socio-economic classification: C1C2D oriented networks’ - 46-47
(‘lower middle class’, ‘skilled years old.
working class’ and ‘working class’)
Time lived in area a factor
A. Kavanaugh et al. (2004)
Socio-economic classification definitions source: www.nrs.co.uk/lifestyle.html

12. i
23% (of 1017 UK citizens)
accessed news online at least
three times a week – ‘more men,
who?
younger and middle-class people.’
Livingstone & Markham (2008)
But... Digital Sunderland
66% broadband-connected –
online centres in sunderland
national average 57%
Source:http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/
cm/cmrnr08/uksummary.pdf
2007 Digital Challenge programme
> increased internet access for
‘socially excluded’

13. Why read local news online?
i
who?
Selected consumer-identified benefits:
• Provides choice and control over local content consumption;
• A one-stop-shop for most types of local content;
• Readily-accessible source, able to access information on demand;
• Natural way to access local information for many participants who
already use the internet regularly in their daily lives
Source: Ofcom Review of Local Media (July 2009)
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/morr/reviewlocal.pdf

14. i
how?
£££££££
£40.59
Potentially £96 per annum
Critical mass?
Four advertisers / two regular contributors
Then small commissions?

15. Age: 11 months (est. Jan 2009)
i
others?
i
September 2009: 2,414 unique page views per month.
success?
Age: 11 months (est. Jan 2009)
October 2009: 40,000 page views per month.
November 2009: Advertising revenue - £70+ per month
Age: 2 years 9 months (est. February 2007)
November 2009: 10,267 visitors per week (30/11 – 06/12)

16. i
What
news?
Sunderland’s only 24-hour church closed its
doors and now hosts services primarily online.
Not covered by local, regional, or national media.
SR2 school plans to demolish part of its Grade 1 Every reported crime in a 1 mile square area
listed building and build more classrooms. over a five week period is mapped.
Not covered by local, regional, or national media. Not covered by local, regional, or national media.
There‟s more >>

17. Council refuse plans for four new houses to be built Takeaway on one of ASB ‘hotspots’ applied to sell
near Tunstall Terrace, saying it would encroach and deliver alcohol, with fierce opposition from
onto neighbouring roads and may risk public influential local citizens.
safety.
Not covered by local, regional, or national media. Not covered by local, regional, or national media.
Breaking news. Breaking news.
Not covered by local, regional, or national media. Not covered by local, regional, or national media.

18. i
green: diary events
orange: aggregated coverage What
red: voicebanks
light blue: council documents news?
dark blue: off-diary
grey: content of community meetings
23/10/09 – 12/12/09 NePhilly.com

20. i
What
effect?
A community computer network facilitates civic
participation by providing pervasive local resources online
and by connecting people to local communication and
discussion channels, public and non-profit organization
leaders and members, and many other civic resources.
A. Kavanaugh et al. (2004) Participating in civil society: the case of
networked communities
online centres in sunderland

21. i
Any
questions?
Josh halliday, community publisher
http://sr2blog.com
E: editor@sr2blog.com
T: @SR2blog